Wandering turkeys surprise Bonshaw family

Don and Catherine Avery were setting up their Christmas tree in their Bonshaw, P.E.I., home Sunday when Catherine spotted something strange in the front yard turkeys.

"I said no, I didn't see them, so I went out the back door, came around the end of the house and sure enough there's three huge turkeys right in my front yard," said Don.

Don said he got fairly close within three metres to get photos of the birds, and they weren't skittish.

Why did the turkey cross the road?

"They kind of wandered down through the yard. I followed them down through the yarduntil they kind of walked off my property and along the ditch and then went over into my neighbours field."

Don said his neighbour said she spotted the birds two weeks ago on the other side of the Trans-Canada Highway.

"Where they're coming from is beyond me," said Don.

Possibly escapees

He called Fish and Wildlife to report the sighting and shared his photos.

"They're not quite sure. They think maybe someone has them here they escaped from someone. That's probably why they're a little friendly."

Fish and Wildlife officialssaid the turkeys are domesticated birds that were likely released or escaped from nearby farms.

Under provincial regulations, bagging a turkey for dinner isn't permitted.

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